The SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares and supports an advanced American manufacturing workforce through education. Building awareness of opportunity, enhancing academic opportunity and directly helping students at every level, the SME Education Foundation works to offer young people a path to explore, learn, and grow.
Through our scholarships and our unique SME PRIME schools initiative, we are fostering and supporting student interest and achievement in advanced manufacturing.
Scholarships
The SME Education Foundation administers and awards scholarships to deserving students that enable achievement in associate and bachelor’s degree programs, creating opportunities for the next generation of advanced manufacturing technicians, technologists and engineers.
The SME Education Foundation has provided nearly $7 million in scholarships over the past seven years. In 2018 alone, through endowed funds and administration, the Foundation has awarded nearly $2 million in scholarships to over 500 students.
Learn more about our Scholarships
Our SME PRIME Schools Initiative
Over the next decade, nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will be needed, and 2 million are expected to go unfilled due an alarming lack of skilled, qualified talent.
The SME PRIME® (Partnership Response in Manufacturing Education) initiative establishes and builds strong partnerships between high schools and manufacturers to develop tailored manufacturing education programs designed to meet local workforce requirements. SME PRIME builds awareness of manufacturing career pathways and provides students the opportunity to acquire industry credentials and further preparation for successful employment.
Manufacturing continues to advance and evolve, and SME PRIME students are also equipped with the responsibility and communications and problem-solving skills – and the inspiration to continuously learn and grow to meet the demands of a quickly changing manufacturing environment.
With 46 SME PRIME schools in 22 states across the country, and with the support and engagement of more than 250 manufacturing partners, the SME Education Foundation has inspired and helped over 50,000 students to explore skills, training and continuing opportunities in American manufacturing.